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Reviews
Conrack (1974)
A teacher out of his element
John Voight plays the title character in this movie based on author Pat Conroy's (Prince of Tides) autobiography. A fine teacher film, it tells the story of a naive Pat Conroy, a young English teacher whose first assignment is in an elementary school on a rural island. The only white man on the island, he must battle internal and external pressures as he attempts to instill education and values in children who for generations have been systematically denied such things. A solid performance that really makes you think.
MASH (1970)
Altman's Magnum Opus
Robert Altman's films can be hit or miss. This is a total grandslam, both as a piece of entertainment and a revolutionary film. For 1970, both the dialog and the camera work were WAY ahead of its time. The scrappy but natural dialog and "innocent bystander" camera views remind one of the TV series NYPD Blue. In 1970, few if any movies, even "R" rated ones, used the "F" word, though Altman refused to compromise this masterpiece. Don't expect the smooth witicisms and sitcom-like plots from the TV show, this film is a true work of art. Its a shame such vital characters as Duke and Painless never had big moments in the TV Show. Its also a shame that much of Altman's later work failed to live up to this great film.